Misc. Uptown Projects/News

[CLTProductions]

What is in these buildings now?? Is it just officies?

 

Maybe I am too young, or its a symptom of being a transplant, but I really just dont see the appeal of these buildings/facade. It seems out of place and random. It would look cool in plaza midwood or something, I dunno maybe i just want to see development, I couldn't care less about preservation ha.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Jayvee

[km1789]

What is in these buildings now?? Is it just officies?

 

Maybe I am too young, or its a symptom of being a transplant, but I really just dont see the appeal of these buildings/facade. It seems out of place and random. It would look cool in plaza midwood or something, I dunno maybe i just want to see development, I couldn't care less about preservation ha.

yes it is primarily offices....

 

And the big stink is that this City has a well deserved reputation for short sightedness when it comes to tearing down our older buildings and infrastructure. We are in the situation we find ourselves in now Uptown, in regards to having practically no consumer goods retail, because we tore down anything that is now considered structurally attractive and conducive for retailers big and small.

These buildings are out of place now because our bulldozer drunk city at one point tore down all that was around them and they are now extremely rare.... There is a few like them on Brevard at the Arena, Brevard at Third Street, and a few peppered along North Tryon street.

There are more than enough vacant or underutilized pieces of property in almost every Ward Uptown, but a Trade street address has cache....

[ah59396]

I say, move the old buildings over to where Brevard Court is and plop them there.  Turn that area into Charlotte's "old town".  I'm not sure how much it costs to move  building...I'm sure it's not cheap.

[nonillogical]

If they can save the facade and build on top in a somewhat classic aesthetic, I would be ok with it. Anything less would be a horrible mistake. 

[atlrvr]

The article implies they will do with what is referred to in Boston as at Facadetomy....leave the front facades, but build a tall high-rise behind it.  The Park Ave condos is a decent example in Charlotte with a mid-rise built using the 1920's facade as the ground floor front.

[Guest]

The article implies they will do with what is referred to in Boston as at Facadetomy....leave the front facades, but build a tall high-rise behind it.  The Park Ave condos is a decent example in Charlotte with a mid-rise built using the 1920's facade as the ground floor front.

Where are the condos you are referring to? So that I can find.

[tozmervo]

https://www.google.com/maps/preview/@35.21409,-80.856186,3a,75y,359.36h,91.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssgiBiVm8mJakYm-LILqr4w!2e0

 

I've always thought they did a pretty solid job with Park Ave. I'm sure most people wouldn't even guess that facade predates the building it now is.

Edited January 27, 2014 by tozmervo

[Guest]

https://www.google.com/maps/preview/@35.21409,-80.856186,3a,75y,359.36h,91.33t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssgiBiVm8mJakYm-LILqr4w!2e0

 

I've always thought they did a pretty solid job with Park Ave. I'm sure most people wouldn't even guess that facade predates the building it now is.

Ah yes! Those Buildings! They did a great job. If this is what they had planned for Trade Street I'd be all for it. 

[birky]

The article implies they will do with what is referred to in Boston as at Facadetomy....leave the front facades, but build a tall high-rise behind it.  The Park Ave condos is a decent example in Charlotte with a mid-rise built using the 1920's facade as the ground floor front.

 

I think it would have to be done really well or it could wind up looking pretty awful.

[DMann]

My office was in 402 W. Trade until January 1. While I liked the building, it is really not a good configuration. Things there are because rent is cheap. If'n a developer can make a contributing property out of it and reuse the facade, great. We all think it is great that the facade for the Carolina Theatre has been saved for reuse, so why not this? If retail returns to downtown, it will have to be along Trade.

[HopHead]

So does anyone know of some previous work that this group from Toronto has done? It sounds somewhat promising and considering they have a background in a major North American city like Toronto does give some hope for a development that would incorporate those existing store fronts. 

[Guest]

Wow, that real estate companies koolaid must be full of something besides sugar.

Although the 10th and Siegel one isn't a pipe dream. The closer Siegel point goes to plaza mid wood the better.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Guest

[go_vertical]

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/real_estate/2014/01/toronto-group-buys-historic-west-trade-property.html

“Our long-term intention is to go vertical"

This is always a good idea. Edited January 28, 2014 by go_vertical

[Niner National]

Wow, that real estate companies koolaid must be full of something besides sugar.

Although the 10th and Siegel one isn't a pipe dream. The closer Siegel point goes to plaza mid wood the better.

As someone who owns a townhome in Seigle Point, I'd love to see something happen with that land...and not more affordable housing.

 

I'd also love to see them finish Seigle Point....there are still 19 townhomes left to build there to complete the original plan. The homeowners gave Grubb an extension to complete the project last fall (they were supposed to finish by December 2014). In exchange, they gave us all $1000 and agreed to build all of the remaining units at market rate prices.

 

Also, CHA is trying to buy the remaining land from Grubb and just complete the rest of the development themselves. Haven't heard any new on that in a few months though.

[dubone]

I moved all the Skyhouse posts to http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/31786-skyhouse-charlotte-at-former-renaissance-place-site/ .

 

Please do better about putting non-miscellaneous discussion in the right topic thread, because otherwise we might as just have one stream of consciousness Misc thread about everything ever.  LOL 

[CLTProductions]

In a definite bit of misc uptown news, the 7-eleven at gateway has been open for a few weeks and I hear that the Goat Wagon and the other sundries shop on trade are already hurting.

[Urbanity]

^I'm surprised Goat Wagon is still open regardless of 7-11.   They were horrific. 

[Guest]

Goat wagon? WTF kind of name is that?

[CLTProductions]

Goat wagon? WTF kind of name is that?

It's a sketchy convenience store with a sketchy name. It's perfect.

 

Drug front....

^I'm surprised Goat Wagon is still open regardless of 7-11.   They were horrific. 

 

Edited January 28, 2014 by Jayvee

[JRNYP2C]

I have to admit that saving any remaining vestige of Charlotte's past is worth keeping - even if they are "just storefronts."  Coming from Pittsburgh, where for the longest time, they tore absolutely NOTHING down, they are turning the corner.  The new PNC corporate tower block is incorporating some of the older (and historic) storefronts in the overall construction.  Leaders and developers have found a happy medium to add new (painfully needed too) and incorporate its important past.
Charlotte has plowed over way too much of its history over the past 20 years.  Yes it has definitely made the center city much more dynamic than ever before.  However, leaders need to be cognizant that erasing all of the past and history can have a negative impact.  It still bothers me that Morehead Street is so desolate without the historic restaurant there anymore near the stadium.  

[Urbanity]

The article on the FFTC renderings of the Carolina Theater had a line in it:

 

The vision for North Tryon will be based on a “civic district” concept that would tie into existing nearby institutions like the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library, ImaginOn and Discovery Place, among others. A master plan is expected later this year, with the foundation, Charlotte Center City Partners and Bank of America all playing a role.

 

Is anyone less than thrilled with this sort of marketing/vision for that area?  BTW I mean the name/moniker of "civic district" alone and not actual plans or attractions.   When I see Civic Districts on maps of cities I think of city halls, courts and the like.   

 

It also sort of minimizes the cultural attractions on that side of Tryon including the NC Dance Studios (where they have a black box theater), The Levine Museum, Spirit Square with those theaters, and the McColl Centre. 

 

Edited January 29, 2014 by Urbanity

[CLTProductions]

 

The article on the FFTC renderings of the Carolina Theater had a line in it:

 

The vision for North Tryon will be based on a “civic district” concept that would tie into existing nearby institutions like the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library, ImaginOn and Discovery Place, among others. A master plan is expected later this year, with the foundation, Charlotte Center City Partners and Bank of America all playing a role.

 

Is anyone less than thrilled with this sort of marketing/vision for that area?  BTW I mean the name/moniker of "civic district" alone and not actual plans or attractions.   When I see Civic Districts on maps of cities I think of city halls, courts and the like.   

 

It also sort of minimizes the cultural attractions on that side of Tryon including the NC Dance Studios (where they have a black box theater), The Levine Museum, Spirit Square with those theaters, and the McColl Centre. 

 

 

Yeah I feel like a 'civic district' would be a waste, that already exists on the south eastern part of town, and an 'arts' area exists by Duke. Just seems like the people doing the planning in this city don't have a clue of needs/wants. They need to read UP more

[Guest]

See I'm reading it a different way. They site imaginon, Levine museum of the new south, discovery place and the library as institutions to tie into. This tells me they want an education corridor. An aquarium, natural history museum, and things like that would tie in nicely.

I really think they need to focus on making the stretch between 11th and Stonewall a cultural mile with shops and restaurants sprinkled between cultural attractions.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Guest

[Urbanity]

^I don't mind what they are doing (and in fact I love what they are doing) I just hate the current name being used 'civic district' as I think it gives the wrong image.

[CLTProductions]

I really think they need to focus on making the stretch between 11th and Stonewall a cultural mile with shops and restaurants sprinkled between cultural attractions.

If this is the case, I am absolutely on board for that. Call me jaded,  I just lack faith they will do something desirable.